By Courtney Kaiser
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The seventh annual American Sign Language/interpreter training Turkey Drive is collecting donations of turkeys and nonperishable items including canned goods, sauces, stuffing and other Thanksgiving trimmings for deaf residents and their families.
The ASL program also will accept monetary donations. All donations can be dropped off through Nov. 19 in Rooms 108 and 110 of Nail Technical Center.
Donations also may be made to the office of ASL Professor John Cage in 109E of Nail.
The drive is one of many events throughout the year that connects the program with the deaf community in San Antonio. The turkey drive’s efforts have more than doubled since it began.
“The first year we started out with nine deaf families,” Cage said. “In the seventh year we’re expecting over 25 deaf families to be supported.”
Cage said he estimates a total of 100 deaf families have benefited from the turkey drive.
Students and faculty first started the drive in 2009 after seeing families struggle around the holidays.
This year about 40 to 50 ASL students will be involved, he said.
After the drive is completed and the meals are packaged, students assist with the delivery and donations so they can meet the families they are helping.
“Each student is responsible for going and meeting with one of the deaf families and talking to them using ASL,” Cage said.
Call Cage at 210 486-1106 or visit Room 109E of Nail Technical Center.